Governance, often relegated to the realm of dry policy discussions, fundamentally concerns trust: trust in institutions, in the freedom of the press, in the efficacy of laws and in the genuine political choices available to citizens. This is the core question addressed by the World Economics Governance Index 2026, which seeks to move beyond traditional metrics like election results and GDP to assess how countries truly function on a day-to-day basis.
The index combines four key indicators – corruption levels, the rule of law, press freedom, and political rights – to generate a score from 0 to 100, where 0 represents a near-total breakdown of systemic functionality and 100 signifies robust and reliable institutions. Recent rankings reveal a nuanced picture of governance across the African continent, highlighting both successes and persistent challenges.
Leading the continent, and ranking 29th globally, is Cabo Verde with a governance score of 74.0. The island nation demonstrates particularly strong political rights (95.2) and a healthy degree of press freedom (77.6), indicative of stable democratic foundations. While its rule of law (58.8) and corruption control (64.5) scores are more moderate, they still surpass those of many regional peers. This positions Cabo Verde as Africa’s strongest governance performer.
Mauritius follows closely, securing the 37th position worldwide with a score of 68.4. The nation boasts robust political rights (90.5) and the highest rule of law score (69.5) among the African countries assessed. Press freedom also remains strong at 67.7. However, a comparatively lower score for corruption control (46.1) suggests that integrity concerns within administrative and economic systems continue to pose a challenge, despite the country’s otherwise mature democratic structure and reliable institutions.
Namibia ranks 42nd globally, achieving a governance score of 65.0. The country exhibits strong performance in press freedom (78.1) and political rights (78.6), reflecting institutional openness. Its rule of law (60.0) is also solid, though corruption control (43.4) remains a point of concern, slightly diminishing its overall rating.
South Africa, a major regional power, occupies the 45th position with a governance score of 62.3. While the country enjoys high levels of press freedom (78.6) and political rights (83.3), its weaker rule of law (50.6) and significantly lower corruption control (36.8) substantially impact its overall performance. These figures suggest that while South Africa maintains a politically open system, its administrative effectiveness is hampered by issues of corruption and legal uncertainty.
Botswana secures the 49th spot globally, with a governance score of 61.1. The country demonstrates relatively strong corruption control (59.2) and a solid rule of law (58.6), indicating administrative stability. However, its scores for press freedom (55.3) and political rights (71.4) are comparatively lower than those of the top performers, suggesting areas for potential improvement.
Ghana ranks 52nd with a governance score of 60.2. Political rights (88.1) are among the strongest in the group, and press freedom (67.5) remains healthy. However, a weaker rule of law (45.7) and low corruption control (39.5) pull down the overall rating, indicating that while Ghana has a strong political foundation, its institutional effectiveness is constrained.
Senegal places 63rd with a governance score of 54.0. Press freedom (57.6) and moderate political rights (73.8) signal improvement in openness, but a weak rule of law (41.1) and low corruption control (43.4) limit overall governance strength. The country appears politically open but administratively fragile, where democratic processes outpace institutional capacity.
Malawi ranks 71st globally with a governance score of 48.0. Political rights (71.4) remain relatively strong, while press freedom (57.3) is moderate. However, extremely low scores for the rule of law (26.4) and corruption control (27.6) significantly constrain governance quality.
Sierra Leone occupies the 73rd position with a governance score of 48.0. Political rights (71.4) and press freedom (66.5) are relatively healthy, but the extremely low rule of law (26.4) and corruption control (27.6) undermine governance quality.
Rounding out the top ten is The Gambia, ranking 74th globally with a governance score of 47.6. Press freedom (65.4) and moderate political rights (54.8) signal improvement in openness, but weak rule of law (38.5) and low corruption control (31.6) limit overall governance strength.
These rankings underscore the complex interplay between political freedoms, institutional strength, and the fight against corruption in shaping effective governance across Africa. While some nations demonstrate significant progress, persistent challenges remain, highlighting the need for continued efforts to strengthen institutions and promote transparency and accountability.
